26 May 2026
SDLP Leader of the Opposition Matthew O’Toole MLA has said both Michelle O’Neill and John O’Dowd are in denial about the impact of the Executive’s failure to agree a Budget.
Mr O’Toole said the lack of a Budget, in breach of the law, would leave Ministers only available to spend a proportion of last year’s funding – meaning an effective austerity cut - something Michelle O’Neill refused to acknowledge today in the Assembly.
Earlier in the Assembly, Finance Minister John O’Dowd accused O’Toole of being “glass half empty” when he challenged the Minister over the absence of a Budget.
South Belfast MLA Matthew O’Toole said:
“Both Michelle O’Neill and John O’Dowd are in complete denial about the failure to set a Budget – heralded by the Finance Minister as ‘transformative’ just a few months ago. The First Minister pointed to non-existent meetings with the British Government and the Finance Minister accused me of being glass half empty.
“They are either living in denial or deliberately spouting nonsense. The absence of a Budget will mean Ministers cannot even spend the money they had last year. That means real cuts on services created by the Executive, not London. The Stormont Executive will be imposing austerity on vital public services because of their own failures.
“The Finance Minister has been saying that he will be asking the British Government for more funding for months – we have absolutely no clarity on this process or what engagement, if any, has taken place. The Executive’s refusal to agree a Budget is letting the people of Northern Ireland down and the SDLP Opposition will continue to highlight this abdication of responsibility at every opportunity until a Budget is in place.”